Anton and Cecil : cats on track

Format:

Book

Title:

Anton and Cecil : cats on track

Other title(s):

Cats on track

Author:

Martin, Lisa, 1965- author.

ISBN:

9781616204198

Edition:

First edition.

Publication:

Chapel Hill, NC : Algonquin Young Readers, an imprint of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, [2015]

Physical Description:

257 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Series title(s):

Anton and Cecil.

Contents:

The mouse network -- Aboard the Sea Song -- Shriek and growl -- The owl and the pussycats -- A dog's tale -- Cat overboard -- Prairie Town -- One moonlit night -- Wild ride -- Whale out of water -- The sign of the coyote -- Caged and free -- The great cat -- Another sea.

Summary:

When cat brothers Anton and Cecil receive a message of distress from Hieronymus, they set out to rescue their rodent friend, catching a train going West--and on the way they will encounter huge bison, chattering prairie dogs, hungry coyotes, and the most dangerous creature of all, a boy who wants to make Cecil his pet.

Subject(s):

Cats -- Juvenile fiction.

Brothers -- Juvenile fiction.

Quests (Expeditions) -- Juvenile fiction.

Mice -- Juvenile fiction.

Animals -- Juvenile fiction.

Adventure and adventurers -- Fiction.

Genre:

Action and adventure fiction.

Fiction.

Juvenile works.

Adventure fiction.

Added Author:

Martin, Valerie, 1948-

Murphy, Kelly, 1977-

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Salem Main Library	J Martin L.	Searching... Unknown
Searching... McMinnville Public Library	Martin, L.	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

A message has traveled via the mouse network to cat brothers Anton and Cecil: their rodent friend Hieronymus has been captured. Though he'd rather stay close to home, Anton must get to the friend who saved his life. Cecil is quick to action, too, but it's adventure he craves. Boarding one of the machines the mice call "landships"--noisy, smoke-belching trains--Anton and Cecil travel to the heart of the Wild West. Along the way Cecil is tossed out by the train's conductor, only to face huge bison, chattering prairie dogs, and the most dangerous creature of all, a boy who wants to make Cecil a pet. Meanwhile, Anton's search leads him to stampeding herds, menacing rattlesnakes, and fierce, enormous cats.

In this perilous territory, do Anton and Cecil have the courage and wit to find and save Hieronymus?

The heroes of Anton and Cecil: Cats at Sea, which the New York Times called "engrossing and unpredictable," return in an exciting adventure that will delight fans of the first book and new readers alike.

Praise for Anton and Cecil: Cats at Sea:

"The plot is carefully woven, the vocabulary rich and distinctive, and the characters engaging." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Enchanting . . . [Lisa Martin and Valerie Martin] effortlessly submerge readers in the setting." -- Shelf Awareness for Readers

"Children who like animal fantasies such as Avi's Poppy will find much to enjoy here." -- School Library Journal

Author Notes

Valerie Martin is the author of six novels & two collections of short fiction, including "Italian Fever", "The Great Divorce", & "Mary Reilly". She lived in Italy for three years & now resides in upstate New York.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-6-After their adventures at sea, cat brothers Anton and Cecil have returned to their port home. Anton is more worldly after his experiences but still cautious, and would be happy to stay put forever, while Cecil longs for more adventures. They receive a message that Hieronymus, a mouse to whom Anton owes his life, has been captured and is in need of rescue. The brothers set out to find him, though this time their passage is not by ship but by train, called "landships," "rolling death," and "growlers" depending on who the cats talk to. Their trip will take them far from the sea and the port environment they are familiar with and introduce them to life on the prairie and new animals, many of whom help the brothers-though others would like to make a meal of them. Following cryptic clues, Anton and Cecil will need all their resourcefulness to find and save Hieronymus. As with the first book, descriptive language puts readers right with the brothers as they escape a ravenous owl, use a stampede of bison to their advantage, and enlist the aid of prairie dogs to escape a pack of coyotes. The siblings are separated for a time, and the different perspectives in the narrative effectively highlight the personalities and tastes of each cat. As this part of their story ends, there are hints that in the next installment the brothers will take to the air. VERDICT A satisfying adventure for fans of animal fantasy tales.-Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

In their second adventure, the Edwardian-era feline brothers set out from Nova Scotia to rescue a highly respected mouse, Hieronymus. True to the characterizations the Martins developed in the series opener, Anton is the more cautious and analytical of the two, while Cecil thrills at any whiff of adventure. A friendly horse, some protective prairie dogs, and a lynx are among the animals they meet as they follow hints, which require the cats to travel not only by short-haul ship but also by railroad. Peppy, humorous dialogue and the charms of various animals' viewpoints keep this satisfyingly fast paced and engaging.--Goldsmith, Francisca Copyright 2015 Booklist